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A  VOCABULARY  TEST 

AND 

A  MONOSYLLABIC  ESSAY 
ON  ART 


BY 

ORRA  EUGENE  MONNETTE 


Los  Angeles,  Calif 
April  i,  iQi8 


COPYRIGHT  1918 

BY 
ORRA    EUGENE    MONNETTE 


STANDARD    PRINTING  CO. 

PRINTERS 
LOS    ANGELES 


This  is  humbly  and  affectionately 
Dedicated  to  the  wise  men  of 

The  Scribes, 

The  oldest  social  club  in  Los  Angeles, 
And  which  is  comprised  of 

Twenty  Five 

American  Gentlemen 
Of  diversified  vocations, 
Of  cultured  refinement, 
Of  seasoned  years, 
Of  ripened  sagacity, 
Of  patriotic  loyalty, 
Of  keen  erudition, 

Who 
Boldly  sit  in  mutual  counsel 

And 
Judgment  upon  the  affairs  of  life 

And 

The  human  race,  without 
Fear  of  or  favor  to  each  other 
Or  any  other  individual 

in  the  whole  world. 


377918 


A  VOCABULARY  TEST 

An  article,  entitled  "A  Test  of  Your  Intelligence,"  appeared  in 
the  issue  of  the  Literary  Digest  of  February  16th,  1918.  It  is 
reproduced  below  by  permission  of  the  editor  of  that  noteworthy  and 
excellent  publication.  It  attracted  the  attention  of  The  Scribes 
and  was  duly  considered  by  that  Club,  the  members  yielding  to  the 
test  as  delineated  in  the  article,  and  attaining  an  average  percentage 
of  94. 

"A  TEST  OF  YOUR  INTELLIGENCE 

To  pick  out  an  adult  of  superior  intelligence  by  any  one  test 
may  be  regarded  as  not  within  the  bounds  of  possibility;  yet  Prof. 
Lewis  M.  Terman,  of  Stanford  University,  proposes  one,  which  he 
says  has  such  a  high  value  that,  used  without  others,  it  will  give 
results  within  10  per  cent,  of  those  obtained  by  the  far-famed  Binet- 
Simon  scale.  This  test  is  the  so-called  "vocabulary  test,"  and  it  is  so 
easily  used  that  within  a  brief  period  readers  of  THE  DIGEST  will  doubt- 
less be  applying  it  to  their  families  and  friends.  The  vocabulary  used, 
copied  below  from  Professor  Terman's  book  on  "The  Measurement 
of  Intelligence,"  consists  of  100  words  derived  by  selecting  the  last 
word  of  every  sixth  column  in  a  dictionary  containing  18,000  words, 
presumably  the  most  common  in  the  language.  The  assumption  is 
that  100  words  selected  according  to  some  arbitrary  rule  will  be  a 
large  enough  sampling  to  afford  a  fairly  reliable  index  of  a  subject's 
entire  vocabulary. 

1.  orange  16.  curse 

2.  bonfire  17.  guitar 

3.  roar  18.  mellow 

4.  gown  19.  pork 

5.  tap  20.  impolite 

6.  scorch  21.  plumbing 

7.  puddle  22.  outward 

8.  envelope  23.  lecture 

9.  straw  24.  dungeon 

10.  rule  25.  southern 

11.  haste  26.  noticeable 

12.  afloat  27.  muzzle 

13.  eyelash  28.  quake 

14.  copper  29.  civil 

15.  health  30.  treasury 


A   Vocabulary   Test 


31.  reception 

32.  ramble 

33.  skill 

34.  misuse 

35.  insure 

36.  stave 

37.  regard 

38.  nerve 

39.  crunch 

40.  juggler 

41.  majesty 

42.  brunette 

43.  snip 

44.  apish 

45.  sportive 

46.  hysterics 

47.  Mars 

48.  repose 

49.  shrewd 

50.  forfeit 

51.  peculiarity 

52.  coinage 

53.  mosaic 

54.  bewail 

55.  disproportionate 

56.  dilapidated 

57.  charter 

58.  conscientious 

59.  avarice 

60.  artless 

61.  priceless 

62.  swaddle 

63.  tolerate 

64.  gelatinous 

65.  depredation 


66.  promontory 

67.  frustrate 

68.  milksop 

69.  philanthropy 

70.  irony 

71.  lotus 

72.  drabble 

73.  harpy 

74.  embody 

75.  infuse 

76.  flaunt 

77.  declivity 

78.  fen 

79.  ochre 

80.  exaltation 

81.  incrustation 

82.  laity 

83.  selectman 

84.  sapient 

85.  retroactive 

86.  achromatic 

87.  ambergris 

88.  casuistry 

89.  paleology 

90.  perfunctory 

91.  precipitancy 

92.  theosophy 

93.  piscatorial 

94.  sudorific 

95.  parterre 

96.  homunculus 

97.  cameo 

98.  shagreen 

99.  limpet 
100.  complot 


OF   COURSE,   YOU    ARE   A   SUPERIOR   ADULT 

If  so,  you  can  give  passable  definitions  of  at  least  seventy-five 
of  the  above  words.  The  average  adult  can  not  manage  more  than 
sixty-five  of  them.  Ability  to  give  seventy-five  definitions  from  the 
above  list  indicates  the  possession  of  a  working  vocabulary  of  13,500 
words. 

Says  a  reviewer  in  January  issue,  The  Journal  of  Heredity 
(Washington)  : 

"Rather  extensive  experimentation  with  this  list  and  others 
chosen  in  a  similar  manner  has  proved  that  the  assumption  is 
justified 


A    Vocabulary   Test  7 

"It  may  seem  to  the  reader  almost  incredible  that  so  small  a 
sampling  of  words  would  give  a  reliable  index  of  an  individual's 
vocabulary.  That  it  does  so  is  due  to  the  operation  of  the  ordinary 
laws  of  chance.  It  is  analogous  to  predicting  the  results  of  an 
election  when  only  a  small  proportion  of  the  ballots  have  been 
counted.  It  is  known  that  a  ballot-box  contains  600  votes,  and  if 
when  only  thirty  have  been  counted  it  is  found  that  they  are  divided 
between  two  candidates  in  the  proportion  of  twenty  to  ten,  it  is  safe 
to  predict  that  a  complete  count  will  give  the  two  candidates  approx- 
imately 400  and  200  respectively.  In  1914  about  1,000,000  votes 
were  cast  for  Governor  in  California,  and  when  only  10,000  votes 
had  been  counted,  or  a  hundredth  of  all,  it  was  announced  and 
conceded  that  Governor  Johnson  had  been  reelected  by  about  150,000 
plurality.  The  completed  count  gave  him  188,505  plurality.  The 
error  was  less  than  10  per  cent  of  the  total  vote. 

"The  100  words  thus  chosen  are  arranged  approximately  (tho 
not  exactly)  in  the  order  of  their  difficulty,  and  the  examiner  usually 
begins  with  the  easier  words  and  proceeds  to  the  harder,  continuing 
until  the  subject  examined  is  no  longer  able  to  define  the  words. 
'With  children  under  nine  or  ten  years,'  Dr.  Terman  directs,  'begin 
with  the  first.  Apparently  normal  children  of  ten  years  may  safely 
be  credited  with  the  first  ten  words  without  being  asked  to  define 
them.  Apparently  normal  children  of  twelve  may  begin  with  word 
16  and  fifteen-year-olds  with  word  21.  Except  with  subjects  of 
almost  adult  intelligence,  there  is  no  need  to  give  the  last  ten  or 
fifteen  words,  as  these  are  almost  never  correctly  defined  by  school- 
children. A  safe  rule  to  follow  is  to  continue  until  eight  or  ten 
successive  words  have  been  missed  and  to  score  the  remainder  minus 
without  giving  them.' 

"As  to  scoring,  'credit  a  response  in  full  if  it  gives  one  correct 
meaning  for  a  word,  regardless  of  whether  that  meaning  is  the  most 
common  one,  and  regardless  of  whether  it  is  the  original  or  a  derived 
meaning.  Occasionally  half  credit  may  be  given,  but  this  should  be 
avoided  as  far  as  possible. 

"  'To  find  the  entire  vocabulary  (of  the  individual  who  is  being 
examined),  multiply  the  number  of  words  known  by  180.  Thus  the 
child  who  defines  twenty  words  correctly  has  a  vocabulary  of 
20X180=3,600  words;  fifty  correct  definitions  would  mean  a  vocab- 
ulary of  9,000  words,  etc.  The  following  are  the  standards  for 
different  years,  as  determined  by  the  vocabulary  reached  by  60  per 
cent,  to  65  per  cent,  of  the  subjects  of  the  various  mental  levels: 


8  A   Vocabulary  Test 

Words  Vocabulary 

Eight  years 20  3,600 

Ten  years 30  5,400 

Twelve  years 40  7,200 

Fourteen  years 50  9,000 

Average  adult 65  11,700 

Superior  adult 75  13,500 

Altho  the  form  of  the  definition  is  significant,  it  is  not  taken 
into  consideration  in  scoring.  The  test  is  intended  to  explore  the 
range  of  ideas  rather  than  the  evolution  of  thought  forms.  When  it 
is  evident  that  the  child  has  one  fairly  correct  meaning  for  a  word, 
he  is  given  full  credit  for  it,  however  poorly  the  definition  may  have 
been  stated. 

"  'While  there  is  naturally  some  difficulty  now  and  then  in 
deciding  whether  a  given  definition  is  correct,  this  happens  much  less 
frequently  than  one  would  expect.  In  order  to  get  a  definite  idea 
of  the  extent  of  error  due  to  the  individual  differences  among  exam- 
iners, we  have  had  the  definitions  of  twenty-five  subjects  graded  inde- 
pendently by  ten  different  persons.  The  results  showed  an  average 
difference  below  three  in  the  number  of  definitions  scored  plus.  Since 
these  subjects  attempted  on  an  average  about  sixty  words,  the  average 
number  of  doubtful  definitions  per  subject  was  below  5  per  cent, 
of  the  number  attempted. 

"  'An  idea  of  the  degree  of  leniency  to  be  exercised  may  be  had 
from  the  following  examples  of  definitions,  which  are  mostly  low 
grade,  but  acceptable: 

1.  Orange.    "An  orange  is  to  eat."     "It  is  yellow  and  grows 

on  a  tree." 

2.  Bonfire.    "You    burn   it   outdoors."      "You    burn    some    leaves    or 

things."     "It's  a  big  fire." 

3.  Roar.        "A  lion  roars."     "You  holler  loud." 

4.  Gown.       "To  sleep  in."     "It's  a  nightie."     "It's  a  nice  gown  that 

ladies  wear." 

"The  test  is  particularly  interesting,  since  it  seems  to  give 
reasonably  correct  measurement  of  the  intelligence  of  adults,  and 
there  are  very  few  single  tests  which  can  be  easily  applied  that  give 
reliable  results  in  such  cases.  There  is,  Professor  Terman  finds,  a 
well  marked  difference  between  the  average  adult  and  the  superior 
adult,  altho  the  number  of  words  in  the  vocabulary  by  which  they 
differ  is  only  ten.  A  majority  of  average  adults  can  give  sixty-five 
words,  but  only  one-third  of  them  can  give  seventy-five  words — the 
test  of  the  superior  adult.  But  of  those  whom  extensive  test- 
ing shows  to  be  'superior  adults,'  90  per  cent,  can  pass  the  superior 
adult  test  of  seventy-five  definitions.  'Ability  to  pass  the  test  is  rela- 
tively independent  of  the  number  of  years  the  subject  has  attended 


A    Vocabulary   Test  9 

school,  our  business  men  showing  even  a  higher  percentage  of  passes 
than  high-school  pupils.' 

"While  this  test  may  be  more  reliable  than  any  other  single  test, 
it  would  be  a  mistake  to  place  too  much  dependence  on  it.  It  is 
somewhat  influenced  by  the  kind  of  training  and  education  one  has 
had — altho  less  so  than  would  be  expected.  No  single  test,  and  no 
series  of  tests,  is  an  adequate  measure  of  the  general  intelligence.  The 
trained  examiner  takes  account  of  every  clue  he  can  find,  and  it  would 
be  a  disservice  to  psychology  to  give  the  impression  that  any  tests 
are  infallible,  especially  if  given  by  unskilled  examiners  or  by  auto- 
examination.  The  most  that  is  claimed  for  the  Binet  tests,  for 
example,  may  be  stated  in  Dr.  Terman's  own  words: 

!<  'One  who  knows  how  to  apply  the  tests  correctly  and  who  is 
experienced  in  the  psychological  interpretation  of  responses  can  in 
forty  minutes  arrive  at  a  more  accurate  judgment  as  to  a  subject's 
intelligence  than  would  be  possible  without  the  tests  after  months 
or  even  years  of  close  observation 

1  'Exceptionally  superior  endowment  is  discoverable  by  the  tests, 
however  unfavorable  the  home  from  which  it  comes,  and  inferior 
endowment  can  not  be  normalized  by  all  the  advantages  of  the  most 
cultured  home.  Or,  to  quote  from  William  Stern,  the  greatest 
German  exponent  of  the  psychology  of  individual  differences,  'The 
tests  actually  reach  and  discover  the  general  developmental  conditions 
of  intelligence,  and  not  mere  fragments  of  knowledge  and  attain- 
ments acquired  by  chance'."  (End  of  Literary  Digest  article.) 

As  a  result  of  this  experimentation  and  the  discussion  which 
followed,  the  writer  urged  that  the  title  of  the  article  in  question  is 
a  misnomer  and  that  the  test  itself  is  neither  fair  nor  comprehensive. 
It  is  not  a  test  of  intelligence,  but  merely  an  abortive  test  of  vocabu- 
lary, though  not  even  partially  exact,  from  the  standpoint  of  standard- 
ization. One  might  be  a  jibbering  idiot,  i.  e.,  possessed  of  a  vocab- 
ulary, and  not  necessarily  intelligent.  Or  a  parrot  might  be  said  to 
have  a  vocabulary  and  yet  not  be  properly  classed  as  intelligent.  In 
fact,  men  may  employ  or  speak  words,  parrot-like,  without  in  truth 
showing  any  real  intelligence.  Further,  a  vocabulary  test,  in  the 
last  analysis,  is  not  a  true  test  of  education,  which  as  one  can  readily 
comprehend  includes  a  vaster  scope  of  knowledge,  experiences  and 
phenomena  than  are  subject  to  revelation  by  an  ostentatious  display  of 
or  even  acquisition  of  words  alone.  Yet,  it  may  be  conceded  that 


10  A   Vocabulary   Test 

an  intelligent  use  and  understanding  of  words  to  a  limited  extent 
show  knowledge  and  indicate  education. 

Furthermore,  the  test  in  question  is  not  fair,  because  it  is  based 
upon  a  "hit  and  miss"  principle  in  word  selection,  amplified  upon 
the  idea  of  "gambling  chance,"  which  under  no  circumstances  could 
be  properly  said  to  be  exact  or  even  correct  experimentation.  Then, 
too,  it  is  based  upon  a  dictionary  of  18,000  words,  from  which  an 
arbitrary  multiplier  is  secured  in  the  number  180.  From  this  a  table 
is  arbitrarily  compiled  to  establish  the  vocabulary  averages  indicated 
as  to  those  of  certain  years,  not  as  to  the  degrees  of  either  their 
education  or  their  intelligence. 

The  range  of  vocabulary  can  not  be  determined  by  a  dictionary 
of  18,000  words.  It  appears  that  Noah  Webster,  in  the  First 
Quarto  Edition  of  his  dictionary  (1828)  set  forth  word  definitions  to 
the  number  of  70,000.  In  the  "Unabridged"  of  1864  there  were 
114,000.  And  in  The  International  of  1890  there  were  175,000 
words.  It  is  possible  that  200,000  words  actually  exist  in  the 
English  Language  to  define  and  describe  mental  concepts  or  ideas. 
Or,  in  another  view,  it  is  said  that  Shakespeare's  completed,  known 
works,  comprise  7,000  separate,  single  words,  yet  it  is  not  correct 
to  say  that  such  was  his  largest  vocabulary. 

Again,  a  large  element  entering  into  the  exactness  of  such  a 
test  is  the  field  of  technical  and  scientific  language,  which  to  those 
specially  trained  is  well  known,  but  not  always  to  the  generality  of 
intelligent  or  well  educated  men,  yet  these  words  enter  into  many 
general  vocabulary  requirements. 

The  test,  as  employed  in  the  article,  is  a  plaything  merely,  inter- 
esting up  to  a  certain  point,  of  neither  exactitude  nor  fairness.  It 
might  be  said  to  be  a  possible  approximation,  since  in  one  such  list 
of  100  words  the  experimenter  might  attain  a  percentage  of  80,  while 
in  another  list  his  grade  might  be  only  60  and  neither  would  exhibit 
the  extent  or  limitations  of  his  vocabulary. 

As  a  result  of  these  considerations  the  writer  prepared  two  lists 
of  words  which  are  appended,  (a)  Is  a  list  arbitrarily  selected  from 
Webster's  International  Dictionary,  containing  150  words.  The  one 


A   Vocabulary   Test  11 

taking  the  test  is  first  given  the  privilege  of  arbitrarily  eliminating 
50  words  from  the  list,  reducing  it  to  100  words.  He  may  eliminate 
any  word  which  he  can  conscientiously  state  he  never  heard  spoken  or 
never  saw  in  print.  If  he  has  either  seen  it  printed  or  heard  it  in 
speech,  he  should  not  eliminate,  if  perchance,  he  is  unable  to  define 
it  or  to  use  it.  Of  the  remaining  100  words,  he  applies  the  test  to 
himself  to  ascertain  the  number  of  words  of  which  he  can  give  either 
a  definition  or  can  use  in  an  acceptable  or  understandable  sense. 
Honesty  must  enter  into  this  test  and  it  is  presumptively  unfair  to 
grade  perfect  on  a  word  which  is  simply  recognized,  but  whose  mean- 
ing or  use  is  not  clear  in  one's  mind.  For  instance,  the  word 
"kippered"  is  commonly  known  to  relate  to  kippered  herring,  etc., 
but  that  is  not  sufficient.  What  does  the  word  itself  really  mean? 
And  since  it  refers  to  three  distinct  processes,  one  cannot  be  said  to 
know  or  understand  the  word  if  he  be  unable  to  give  those  processes. 
Having  taken  the  (a)  test,  and  ascertained  your  percentage,  follow 
it  with  the  (b)  test.  The  latter  is  a  list  of  words  selected  by  the 
compiler  from  current  newspapers,  magazines  and  popular  books  of 
the  day,  such  as  anyone,  inclined  to  pursue  reading  of  a  wider  scope, 
might  easily  come  upon  in  his  search  of  both  information  and  enter- 
tainment. The  words  selected  have  been  chosen  purposely  to  provide 
a  severe  test  of  your  vocabulary.  Try  it  out  honestly.  Obtaining 
the  percentage,  add  this  to  that  obtained  from  test  (a)  and  divide 
the  result  by  two.  The  resultant  percentage  is  again  an  approxima- 
tion of  the  range  of  your  vocabulary  and  its  extent,  but  not  of  your 
intelligence  or  education,  except  that  the  general  fact  that  you  are  a 
well  read  man,  possessed  of  a  vocabulary  of  some  size,  intelligently 
used,  is  some  measure  of  your  literary  and  linguistic  abilities. 

These  tests  were  submitted  to  The  Scribes  and  one  of  its  honored 
members  attained  the  final  grade  of  87%.  The  majority  ranged 
below  75.  Yet,  each  and  all  are  not  only  highly  intelligent  but  well 
educated  men.  As  first  stated,  under  the  Terman  test  these  men 
secured  much  higher  percentages,  an  average  of  94%. 


12 


A   Vocabulary   Test 


(a)  LIST  OF  150  WORDS  FOR  VOCABULARY  TEST 


1.  abbatoir 

51.  hirsute 

101.  plasma 

2.  abrade 

52.  histology 

102.  plebiscite 

3.  abecedarian 

53.  huckaback 

103.  puss-in-boots 

4.  agrestic 

54.  illusory 

104.  quadrate 

5.  altruistic 

55.  imbricate 

105.  quatrain 

6.  ana 

56.  imbrued 

106.  quintessence 

7.  anneal 

57.  intrigant 

107.  quip 

8.  aorist 

58.  isosceles 

108.  quondam 

9.  astrict 

59.  izzat 

109.  rapprochement 

10.  backgammon 

60.  jennet 

110.  ratiocination 

11.  ballista 

61.  kale 

111.  rationale 

12.  beldame 

62.  kaolin 

112.  reredos 

13.  bibliophile 

63.  kotow 

113.  roc 

14.  bight 

64.  king-bolt 

114.  ruelle 

15.  bizzarre 

65.  kismet 

115.  rutabaga 

16.  boggle 

66.  lacteal 

116.  rubric 

17.  bracken 

67.  laminate 

117.  sacerdotal 

18.  caliper 

68.  lamprey 

118.  saggittal 

19.  calenture 

69.  lapidary 

119.  scrabble 

20.  campanile 

70.  lanyard 

120.  sheik 

21.  carafe 

71.  lappet 

121.  simony 

22.  cedilla 

72.  largesse 

122.  sinus 

23.  chic 

73.  lentil 

123.  squamus 

24.  choler 

74.  lese  majesty 

124.  stadium 

25.  coction 

75.  lesion 

125.  steinbok 

26.  concierge 

76.  lethal 

126.  stentorian 

27.  cosmos 

77.  libretto 

127.  syntax 

28.  crass 

78.  lignum-vitae 

128.  syllogism 

29.  dieresis 

79.  lithuria 

129.  syzygy 

30.  demurrage 

80.  mauve 

130.  tang 

31.  dissensualized 

81.  malversation 

131.  tatting 

32.  dilettante 

82.  maumet 

132.  tercet 

33.  dubiety 

83.  maunder 

133.  teredo 

34.  duodecimo 

84.  microcosm 

134.  treacle 

35.  egesta 

85.  molybdenite 

135.  tutelary 

36.  emeritus 

86.  naivete 

136.  tyro 

37.  empirical 

87.  nippy 

137.  ubiety 

38.  esoteric 

88.  nuncupative 

138.  umbra 

39.  exotic 

89.  nuzzle 

139.  ursine 

40.  exposuary 

90.  nutrient 

140.  vacuity 

41.  feldspar 

91.  oaf 

141.  vesicate 

42.  flaccid 

92.  oblation 

142.  voile 

43.  friable 

93.  octahedral 

143.  voodoo 

44.  funicle 

94.  os 

144.  vomer 

45.  fustian 

95.  pabulum 

145.  warder 

46.  gelding 

96.  paranoia 

146.  withers 

47.  gemmation 

97.  pedantic 

147.  wreak 

48.  gnome 

98.  pistachio 

148.  yorick 

49.  grayling 

99.  pilose 

149.  yodel 

50.  howdah 

100.  pinnate 

150.  zouave 

A   Vocabulary   Test 


13 


(b)  LIST  OF  100  WORDS  FOR  VOCABULARY  TEST 


1.  accolade 

2.  afflatus 

3.  balmoral 

4.  barrage 

5.  berserker 

6.  biceptual 

7.  bloc 

8.  bourdonnement 

9.  bravura 

10.  butyl 

11.  caitiff 

12.  camouflage 

13.  camomile 

14.  capriped 

15.  cartouche 

16.  chauvinistic 

17.  chaffinch 

18.  cinquecento 

19.  chiaroscuro 

20.  cliche 

21.  coloratura 

22.  comette 

23.  condottiere 

24.  darnel 

25.  diapason 

26.  disjecta 

27.  dissonance 

28.  divarication 

29.  dulcin 

30.  embonpoint 

31.  empyreal 

32.  ensconce 

33.  epizootic 


34.  eschatology 

35.  euphuistic 

36.  fillip 

37.  feuillage 

38.  fustiness 

39.  gneiss 

40.  hemostatic 

41.  hortatory 

42.  ikon 

43.  incunabulary 

44.  ineluctable 

45.  jabot 

46.  kelson 

47.  kike 

48.  kippered 

49.  kiosk 

50.  linsey 

51.  lusus 

52.  madrigal 

53.  mangel 

54.  marplot 

55.  melange 

56.  metayer 

57.  meticulously 

58.  mirabilary 

59.  mime 

69.  misanthropy 

61.  mumpsimus 

62.  muzzy 

63.  nirvanic 

64.  obsidian 

65.  octroi 

66.  ossuary 

67.  parvenu 


68.  pasquinade 

69.  patchouli 

70.  pattiserie 

71.  petard 

72.  pewit 

73.  philobiblon 

74.  picaresque 

75.  pismire 

76.  pundit 

77.  prurient 

78.  quahaug 

79.  refocillate 

80.  recherche 

81.  recrudescence 

82.  rodomontade 

83.  rubefacient 

84.  sautoir 

85.  shard 

86.  sheol 

87.  simulacrum 

88.  solecism 

89.  sternutation 

90.  strophe 

91.  suggan 

92.  supernaculum 

93.  suzerainty 

94.  tettinx 

95.  thanatopsis 

96.  tintinnabulum 

97.  tricot 

98.  trilogy 

99.  variorum 
100.  virtuoso 


In  the  discussion  following  the  test  an  argument  was  adduced 
as  to  the  desirable  force  and  effect  of  any  statement,  speech  or  literary 
production,  when  only  simple  words  or  those  of  single  syllables 
should  be  employed  instead  of  more  involved  and  longer  words.  The 
impracticability  of  treatment  of  any  theme  in  words  of  one  syllable 
was  considered.  Particularly,  if  it  should  be  carried  to  any  length. 
The  author  has  made  the  attempt.  As  is  apparent,  it  is  not  free  in 
movement  and  is  mechanically  hampered.  It  is  submitted  as  an 
example,  only.  You  may  judge  of  its  quality  and  excellence. 


14  Art 


ART 

(A  theme  in  words  of  one  sound,  that  is,  each  made  by  one  thrust 

of  the  voice.) 

Art  in  a  strict  sense  is  skill.  It  is  that  force  of  the  mind  which 
leads  one  to  do,  to  act  or  to  build  more  than  just  well.  And,  since 
it  is  thus  a  part  of  the  mind  to  guide,  so,  too,  the  heart  and  soul  of 
a  man  prompt  his  acts  in  a  like  way.  He  shows  art  who  is  both 
fit  and  apt.  Sage  the  mind,  deft  the  hand,  shrewd  the  tongue,  sharp 
the  eye  and  keen  the  ear,  as  may  be  the  case,  it  may  rest  with  one 
of  these  in  lone  place  to  show  art;  or,  else,  two,  three  or  all  five 
may  be  set  in  choice  parts  to  work  for  fine  ends.  If  art  be  mode  or 
form  or  pose,  it  is  still  more  than  these ;  it  is  the  clear  and  high  thought 
to  lead  the  world  to  a  grand  height  where  each  view  and  scene  call 
on  men  to  seek,  to  strive,  to  climb  and  to  rise. 

First,  Art  is  truth.  It  must  not  be  less  than  that  nor  be  shown 
with  a  fault  or  mar  to  cause  it  to  be  less  strong  in  might  or  less  rich 
in  deed.  If  one  can  sing,  or  paint,  or  play,  or  write  and  thus  bring 
to  the  crowd  that  which  is  fair,  sweet  and  fine  in  aim,  then  such 
an  one  does  hold  in  him  and  gives  to  the  world  true  Art.  Right 
and  wrong  should  not  mix  in  it.  If  fact  miss  its  true  points  or  be 
set  in  vain  sway  or  pomp's  sham,  none  the  less  must  the  truth  be 
sought  and  seen  that  Art  may  rise  to  its  full  height  and  sphere.  It 
would  be  a  source  of  shame,  if  Art  were  false  to  the  soul  which 
gives  it  birth  and  life.  Truth  is  its  goal. 

Then,  next  to  skill,  Art  must  be  rare.  It  is  not  trite.  It  does 
not  move  by  hard  and  fast  rule.  The  place,  time  and  mode  well 
and  far  known  to  all  are  not  in  its  claim  for  play  of  thought,  grace 
and  charm.  Not  found  with  ease,  nor  caught  by  swift  steps,  it  is 
not  for  a  quick  grasp  by  one  and  all  at  the  same  time.  It  is  hard 
to  get,  to  know  and  to  learn,  and  then  by  hard  work  and  close  thought 
day  by  day.  The  plebs  live  by  law  and  serve  that  law  just  to  live. 
To  them  skill  is  but  a  use  of  the  hands,  eyes  and  brain  in  the  same 
way  on  each  day  and  the  next  one  to  come.  Once  done,  the  first 


Art  15 

act  is  all  bound  up  in  the  next  act  and  naught  that  is  new  comes 
from  it.  Its  sole  knack  and  skill  are  found  in  use.  There  is  no 
flight  of  view,  no  charm  of  reach  and  no  breadth  of  grace.  Dull 
and  dead  each  one  of  them  moves  his  sure  round  each  drear  day,  as 
he  grinds  in  sweat  and  toil.  No  dreams  are  his.  Born  of  clay  and 
true  to  the  fact,  Art  has  no  part  in  his  life.  He  eats,  he  lives  and 
he  dies.  That  one  who  would  gain  skill  must  rise  in  soul  above  the 
dross  of  his  birth,  and  look  far  off  to  the  skies  for  loft  of  view 
and  aim. 

Then,  too,  taste  and  style  go  hand  in  hand  with  sense  to  give 
Art  its  true  place.  The  first  is  the  zest  of  its  life.  The  whet  acts  as 
a  spur  to  win  the  crown.  If  the  use  be  that  of  a  drone  or  an  ape, 
it  is  clear  that  it  is  not  a  gift,  nor  a  prize  to  be  sought.  To  think, 
to  feel  and  to  live  in  Art  call  for  wide  range  of  the  soul,  thought 
and  a  far  look  out  on  the  world  and  life.  The  heart,  the  blood,  the 
nerves  and  the  brawn  of  man  seek  a  chance  to  give  light  and  life. 
This  is  taste.  The  next,  or  style,  is  found  in  form,  sound,  brush, 
speech  or  act,  the  means  to  be  used  to  give  its  thought  or  plea  to  the 
world.  It  dwells  in  vain  and  in  each  phase  is  false,  and  yet  more, 
if  its  grace  does  not  please,  or  if  its  plea  be  not  heard.  The  sense 
out  of  which  it  gives  its  thought  and  that  to  which  it  bears  the 
same  thought  must  meet.  The  two  join  as  one.  This  taste,  this 
style  and  this  sense  are  the  Fine  Arts. 

Yet,  there  is  one  more  class  of  which  to  treat.  This  is  the 
Free  Arts,  which  lead  to  each  branch  taught  in  a  school  course. 
Those  just  now  set  in  place  and  these  which  are  of  both  craft  and 
trade  as  well,  give  a  vast  field.  They  are  all  old  in  point  of  time 
though  they  seem  to  be  in  new  dress  in  late  years.  There  is  in  them 
a  wide  range  of  thought,  mode  and  skill.  Here,  too,  is  more  than 
the  dull  grind  of  each  day's  toil.  In  these  to  be  Art  skill  must  show 
a  high  grade  of  work.  To  the  Fine  Arts  they  are  like  as  mind  to 
hand.  Less  of  taste,  less  of  style  and  less  of  sense,  still  the  mind 
plays  a  large  part  in  their  use,  and  by  the  mark  of  skill  shown  thus 
Art  claims  them. 

The  theme  is  the  base  of  all  Art.  Its  scope  must  be  high,  wide 
and  clear.  It  is  the  aim  of  art  to  please,  to  lift  up,  that  is,  to  blend 


16  Art 

all  its  parts,  its  acts,  in  a  smooth  whole  so  bound  one  by  one,  that 
the  marks  and  lines  of  the  bonds  are  lost  in  the  rare  class  and  fine 
charm  of  the  grand  thought  set  for  the  view.  Hence,  one  must  look 
to  the  earth,  its  life,  and  to  the  wide  world  for  its  forms  and  aids. 
Each  thing,  phase  or  view  is  the  work  of  a  Great  Cause,  as  Man 
is  the  highest  type  of  all.  This  source  and  the  acts  of  men  are  the 
themes  to  claim  the  skill  of  art  in  song,  in  verse,  in  craft,  in  speech 
and  in  book. 

Let  us  note  a  few  types.  The  tool  work  of  the  man  at  the 
bench  or  the  hum  of  the  lathe  are  marks  of  his  zeal,  his  growth  and 
at  the  last  his  skill.  The  conch  shell  or^the  sand  of  the  shore  of 
the  sea  tell  in  its  soft  roar  the  rhythm  and  sound  of  the  waves. 
A  song  bird  on  swift  wing  or  by  the  sweet  note  in  its  throat  gives 
forth  its  joy  to  bless  the  world.  The  cool  stream,  with  the  grass 
and  moss  on  its  banks,  in  the  sheen  of  the  moon  or  the  gleam  of 
the  sun,  trills  a  voice  of  glee  and  sings  its  course  through  the  hills 
and  fields.  The  rock  falls  from  cleft  and  crag  or  with  snow  and  ice 
is  held  in  place  to  show  the  might  of  the  hand  which  rules  its  leap 
from  peak,  its  fall  or  its  last  low  rest  in  the  vale.  A  babe  in  its  white 
crib,  in  sound  sleep  with  its  chub  of  a  hand  on  the  white  pane  is  the 
germ  of  love,  hope  and  life  for  all. 

Seek  from  these  or  their  like  the  theme  to  move  the  soul,  the 
eye,  the  hand,  and  art  will  turn  to  skill. 

Man  gives  self,  his  soul,  to  the  world.  His  brain,  his  brawn 
and  his  nerves  form  the  base  of  his  acts.  The  skill  with  which  he 
works  and  the  sum  of  his  acts  but  speak  for  him.  Apt  is  he,  great 
as  well,  whose  Art  fills  the  world  with  good  things,  song,  joy,  smiles, 
to  the  end  that  all  near  and  far  to  his  reach  may  be  made  free  and 
glad.  True  art  can  have  no  aim  less  than  this  and  no  skill  can  be 
shown  if  this  does  not  mark  the  height  of  art.  As  Love  and  Truth 
rule  the  world,  so  Art  in  its  skill  sets  forth  the  lives  and  acts  of  men. 

In  the  deep  blue  vault  of  the  sky 

I  seek  to  find  my  art,  and  why? 

The  pure  white  fleece  of  soft  drift  clouds 

Lifts  far  more  than  the  dark  of  shrouds. 


Art  17 

The  soul  I  give  to  the  harsh  gaze 
Of  men  who  seek  the  skill  I  raise 
Is  set  forth,  clear,  like  the  grand  view 
Of  stars,  which  shine  out  in  the  blue. 

ORRA  EUGENE  MONNETTE. 

1438  words, 

Los  Angeles,  California, 

March  15,  1918. 


Caylord  Bros. 

Makers 
Syracuse.  N.  Y. 

PUT.  JAH.  21.  1908 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


CDSEllEOMT 


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